Spoke-polishing machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. W. ALLEN.

SPOKE POLISHING MACHINE. No. 339,125. Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

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J. w. ALLEN.

S POKE POLISHING MACHINE. No. 339,125. X! Patented Apr; 6, 1886.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. W. ALLEN. SPOKE POLISHING MACHINE. No. 339,125. Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

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UNlTED STATES PATENT Grinch.

J OHN \V. ALLEN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SPOKE-POLISHING MACHINE.

SPECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,125, dated April 6, 1886.

Application filed January 23, 1885. Serial No. 153,779.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1. JOHN W. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States. residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spoke-Polishing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention, to be hereinafter specifically claimed, relates to improvements in spokepolishing machines, and particularly to that class of machines in which spokes are automatically broughtin contact with sanded belts or polishing-surfaces.

1n the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a polishing-machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same machine. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same machine on the line :10 c of Fig. 2. Figs. 4., 5, 6, and 7 are details.

The same reference figures and letters refer to like parts in all the views.

1 is the supporting-frame. 2 is the drivingshaft, extending crosswise of and having its bearings in the top of the frame 1, and being provided on one end with a rigid drivingbelt pnlley,3, by and through which to connect this machine with the power-furnishing mechan ism.

Parallel with shaft 2, at a little distance therefrom, and having its bearings in'said frame and on a level with shaft 2, is the shaft 4. The shafts 2 and 4.- are each provided with a drum rigid thereto, over and upon which runs the polishing-belt 5, which belt is as wide asthe round partofthe body ofthe spoke to be polished, and said drums and belt are so located on said shafts as to be opposite to such round part ofthe spokes as the same are held and carried forward in the machine, as hereinafter described.

Parallel with shaft 2, and at still farther distance therefrom, and having their bearings also in the top of frame 1, are the shafts 6 and 7. These shafts 6 and 7 are nearly or quite (N0 model.)

twice as far from each other as the shafts 2 and 4 are from each other, and are on a level with each other. These shafts (Sand 7 are also each provided with adrum rigid thereto, upon which runs the polishing-belt 8, which belt is as wide as the oval or flat part of the body of the spokes to be polished, and said drums and belt are so located on said shafts as to be opposite to such oval or flat part of the spokes as the same are held and carried forward in the machine, as hereinafter described.

On the farther and corresponding ends of the shafts 2 and 6 are rigid pulleys, over and upon which runs the driving-belt 9, by which motion is communicated from shaft 2 to shaft 6. The belt is driven by the drum on shaft 2, and the belt 8 is driven by the drum on shaft 6. Near each end of the frame 1 there is a pair of sprocket-wheels, l0 and 11, each pair of wheels being rigid on the same shaft, having its bearingsin thelower part of said frame 1. Duplicate endless chains 12 12 run upon these sprocket-wheels, one of said chains running upon the two corresponding and opposite wheels of the two pairs. The shaft on which are the sprocket-wheels carries also rigid on its end a mitered wheel, 13, and meshing therewith is the mitered pinion l4, rigid on shaft 15, having its hearings in brackets rigid to the outside of frame 1, said shaft at its other extremity having rigid thereon a spirally'toothed wheel, 16, meshing with a worm-wheel, 17, rigid on the end of shaft 6, by which said endless chains are driven through the mechanism just described by the power applied on shaft 2. Rigid on said chains and opposite to each other are a series of brackets, 18 and 19, (shown in detail in Fig. 4,) having outwardlyextending arms, in which arms of each bracket on one chain a mandrel, 20, has its bearings, and in the arms of each bracket on the other chain a spindle,2l, has its bearings. The brackets 18 and 19,0pposite to each other on their respective chains, are connected together rigidly by a connecting rod or bar, 22. These brackets 18 and 19 are also provided with a groove adapted to receive and run upon the duplicate guides 23. The mandrel 20 is provided at its rear end with a bell-crank, 24, extending outwardly on same side of the mandrel as the bottom of the chuck 26 is, and also near its rear end with a rigid pinion, 25, and on its front end wit-h the chuck 26. The chuck 26 is adapted to receive the foot of the spoke. The spindle 21 has a horizontal reciprocating movement in its bearings, and is pushed forward against the spoke by the encompassing spiral spring 28, which at its rear end bears against the inside of the outer arm of bracket 19, and at its inner end bears against a pin rigid in the spindle 21. This spindle is also provided with mechanism, whereby at one point on its journey on the endless chain it is automatically withdrawn from contact with the spoke, (thereby releasing" the spoke,) and at another point in its journey (it being in the meantime held back) is by the spring thrown against the newly-inserted spoke. This mechanism is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 4, and 5.

Between the arms and on the face of bracket 19 a short lever, 29, is pivoted at one end at one side to the bracket. This lever extends across the face of the bracket,and has aswinging movement thereon through about a quad rant of a circle. This lever has at its middle parta'longitudinal slot,which in its movement upon the bracket is over a longitudinal slot (at right angles) in the face of the bracket. A short pin, 30, rigid in the lower side of the spindle 21, extends downwardly into the slots in lever 29 and in the face of bracket 19, whereby when the lever 29 is thrown around to the rear the spindle 2l is carried backward in its bearings. The free end of the lever 29 is provided with a short arm, 31, at right angles to and rigid in said lever, which arm 31, as it travels with the bracket on the chain, when it comes to the discharging end of the machine, impinges against an incline, 32, rigid on a bracket affixed to the frame 1, and is thereby, as the chain carries it forward, pushl d back, throwing the lever 29 around into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, where the lever 29 is caught and held by the spring-catch 33, which catch is also affixed at one end to the face of the bracket 19.

Beneath the bracket 19, and centrally pivoted thereto, is a lever, 34, the inner end of which is by a short connecting-rod attached to the free end of the catch 33, and the other end of said lever 34 is adapted, when the bracket 19 on the endless chain comes to the receiving end of the machine, to impinge against a cam or incline, a, rigid on a bracket affixed to frame 1,whereby said catch is drawn down, the lever 29 is released, and the spindle 21 left free to the forward thrust of the encompassing spiral spring. The duplicate guides 23 are rigidly attached to the frame 1 in its upper part, along theline of travel of the endless chains from the top of sprocket-wheels 11 to the top of sprocket-wheels 10, and have such sinuosities of course as the endless chains are required to make for the purpose to be accomplished.

At the receiving end of the machine, on the side at which the mandrel 20 travels, there is rigid to frame 1 the curved guide 35, having a groove adapted to receive the handle or pin end of the crank 24 as it comes thereto on its travel on the endless chain near the bottom of sprocket-wheel 11, and in which groove said crank travels while passing around over the sprocket-wheel 11, and whereby the mandrel 20 is caused to assume such position, as it comes up on the outside of sprocket-wheel 11, that the open top of chuck 26 is at that point in its travel upward ready to receive a spoke,which drops therein by gravity at that point. A toothed rack, 36, rigid to brackets affixed to frame 1, is placed opposite to the belt 5, and, being conformed in shape to guide 23 in that part of its line, is adapted to mesh with the pinion 25, causing the mandrel 20 to revolve as the brackets are carried forward on the chains on that part of their travel. Along and just above the chain-carrying bracket 18, in that part of its course opposite to the belt 8 and over and partly around sprocket-wheel 10, is the grooved guide 37, rigid to brackets affixed to frame 1, and adapted to receive and permit to travel therein the handle of crank 24. This guide along that part of its course opposite belt 8 has a sinuous or wave-like course,whereby a slightly oscillatory movement is given to the spoke in that part of its travel, to aid in correctly and evenly polishing its surface on the belt. It will be observed that when the crank 24 arrives at the lower end of guide 35 it is hanging downward, and as the bracket 18 is carried forward the crank traveling in guide 35 follows the bracket, and when released from guide 35 the cogs on rack 36, which are two and one-half times in number as many as on the pin 'ion 25 roducetwo and one-half revolutions of the mandrel 20 and crank 24, whereby the crank 24 is made to precede the bracket when the handle on the crank reaches and enters guide 37, and continues to precede the bracket until it comes to the hanger 38, which hanger is rigid to the frame, and is provided with an inwardly-extending pin or tooth, 1), (shown in Fig. 7,) adapted to and which does fit into and mesh with the pinion 25, whereby said pinion is caused to make a part of a revolution, and the crank 24 is caused again to follow the bracket on its travel. It will be noticed that an enlarged part of the groove in guide 37 (shown in Fig. 6) and a downward curve in guide 23 are provided opposite to hanger 38, to permit of the half-revolution of the mandrel and its crank at the moment of contact of the pinion 24 with the pin on hanger 38.

At the receiving end of the machine is a frame or rack, 39, for holding a supply of spokes for feeding the-machine. This rack has its upper surfaceinclined downwardly inwardly, so that spokes placed thereon will by their gravity be fed consecutively to the ma caught in the chuck 26, and to carry the small end of the spoke upward and forward coinci dently with its foot (in the chuck) until the small end is caught and held by the spindle 21,

released by the mechanism for that purpose as it passes the incline a. It will be seen that as the brackets 18 and 19, traveling concurrently on the endless chains, arrive at the point Where the spokes are received from the frame 39, the chuck 26 is caused to be in proper position for receiving the spoke by the crank 24, traveling in the grooved guide 35,and the foot of the spoke dropping into the chuck 26, and the small end of the spoke being carried forward by lever 40 until it is caught by spindle 21, the spoke traveling forward on the chains is held against the endless running polishing-belt 5, and while held in contact with the belt 5 by the course of the chains on the guide 23, curved upwardly between the beltcarrying drums for that purpose, is also caused to revolve by the pinion 25, meshing with rack 36, whereby the long cylindrical part of the spoke is polished, and as the spoke is carried forward still farther on and by the endless chains one of the oval sides of the spoke, near its foot, is brought in contact with the endless running polishing-belt 8, and while held in contact with this belt by the course of the chains on the guide 23 is also given a reciprocating rotary motion by the crank 24, traveling in the undulating part of guide 37, and when it reaches the hanger 38 is by the pin [1 in hanger 38. meshing with the pinion 25, turned over, so thatfiin its further progress in contact with the belt 8 the other short oval side of the spoke is polished. \Vhen the spoke reaches the farther end of the machine, the spindle 21 is withdrawn by the mechanism described as it passes the incline 32, and the spoke drops out of the chuck 26, which at that point is open downwardly, the crank 24 having been turned over to the rear when passing the hanger 38, thereby turir ing the open side of the chuck 26 to the front and downward as the chains pass over to the rear ofsprock et-wheels 11. Thejournal bear ings of shafts 4 and 7 are adjustable on the frame 1, whereby the belts 5 and 8 may be tightened, if desired.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a spoke-polishing machine, a sinuous guide, 37, in combination with a spoke-carrying mandrel, 20, said mandrel being pro vided with a rigid crank end, which crank is directed by the sinuous guide 37, whereby an oscillating motion is given to the mandrel as it travels forward, substantially as set forth.

2. In a spoke-polishing machine, the sinuous guide 37, the hanger 38, provided with pin 6, and guides 23, having a downward curve opposite hanger 38, in combination with the spoke carrying mandrel 20, traveling on an endless chain running in guides 23, and provided with a pinion adapted to mesh with pin 12, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a spoke-polishing machine, a spokecarrying mandrel, 20, provided with crankarm 21 and a spindle, 21, said mandrel and spindle traveling on an endless chain, in combination with the sinuous guide 37, adapted to receive the crank-arm 21, whereby the spoke is caused to oscillate as it is carried forward, and the polishing'belt 8, having a ngitudinal motion only, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination of the endless chain having rigid thereon the bracket 18, the mandrel 20, provided with pinion 25, and the hanger 38, provided with a pin, 1), meshing with pinion 25, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the spindle 21, having an encompassing spiral spring and rigid pin 30, the pivoted centrally-slotted lever 29, provided with arm 31, the incline 32, and the bracket 19, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of the spindle 21, having a reciprocal movement in bracket 19, and provided with a resistingspring andthe rigid pin 30, the pivoted centrally-slotted lever 29, the spring-catch 33, and the thereto-connected centrally-pivoted lever 34, the incline a, and the bracket 19, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The radial arms 40, rigid on the shaft of sprocket-wheels 11, located and adjusted on said shaft, as described, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I at'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN \V. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

(J. T. BENEDICT, J AS. B. ERWIN.

IOC 

